Police roll out new technology to fight crime

13 February 2013 Media Statement
Police roll out new technology to fight
crime

Police officers will soon be spending more
time out in New Zealand communities and less time in the
office, when a nation-wide rollout of new mobile technology
begins, Prime Minister John Key announced today.

“From April, 6,086 frontline officers will start using
smartphones and tablets to access vital information that
will help them prevent crime, catch criminals and protect
New Zealanders,” says Mr Key.

“Using mobile
technology means officers will be able to check offenders’
details, like photographs and bail conditions, where and
when they need to, rather than having to drive to a station
to access information, or using the Police radio.

“This means more time to focus on stopping crime and
protecting communities, and less time each day on
administration duties at their desks.”

Mr Key says
Police will invest up to $4.3 million of capital expenditure
and $159 million of operating expenditure from 2012/13 to
2023/24. The initial three-month phase will see 6,086
officers using the new technology, rising to 6,500 by
mid-2014.

An 11-month Police pilot indicated
officers would be able to save about 30 minutes each
eight-hour shift by using the new technology – about
520,000 hours per year based on the initial rollout to 6,086
officers.

“Put another way, that’s equivalent to
about 345 extra frontline Police being more active and
visible in our communities,” says Mr Key.

“The
feedback from the officers who took part in the trial has
been enthusiastic – they have been able to check on the
spot if people are giving false information, for example.
For rural officers who police a large area, it means
they’re able to save a lot of time checking emails and
information on their smartphones, rather than having to
travel great distances back to their stations.

Mr
Key says the introduction of mobile technology is part of
the National-led Government’s Better Public Services
strategy to make taxpayer-funded services, like Police,
become more innovative, efficient and focused on what New
Zealanders really want and expect.

‘We all want
to see fewer crimes committed, and Police are a lynchpin in
meeting our target of reducing the crime rate by 15 per cent
by 2017. They’re on track to do this – recorded crime
fell by 6 per cent to the year ending June 2012, bringing
the crime rate to its lowest in over 30 years.

“Investing in better technology frees up officers’
time to focus on more effective policing by putting crime
prevention, and the needs of victims, at the forefront of
their duties.

“When I launched the Better Public
Services targets last March, I said I wanted government
agencies to be looking at how they could better deliver
services without ramping up their costs.

“I wanted
to give agencies, like Police, the flexibility,
encouragement and mandate to make real change.

“The mobile technology initiative Police officers are
rolling out has the potential to do just that,” says Mr
Key.

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